There is an obesity crisis in Britain - but it is not just humans whose waistlines are expanding.

According to animal charity, the PDSA, the nation's pets are also growing at an alarming rate.
The organisation has launched a national slimming competition to find the superslimmer from 11 outsize contenders.
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A dog lover has developed the greenest possible rehoming centre

"We lead the field in kennelling of dogs because we believe our dogs deserve it," asserts Clarissa Baldwin. As head of the Dogs Trust (dogstrust.org.uk), which takes in some 16,000 dogs a year and never puts a healthy dog to sleep, she knows about canines. But recently she has also been thinking about their carbon pawprints. "Kennelling has a big knock-on effect in terms of energy use and cost."

There are several practical issues that make the operation less sustainable than it might be: for starters, at the Dogs Trust, canine guests always have access to the outdoors via a dog flap, which means heat escapes every time they stretch their legs. Meanwhile they must be kept warm in winter, and cool – using air conditioning – in summer. "The optimum temperature for a fairly passive dog is around 18C," explains Baldwin. Rescuing dogs can be a gas-guzzling affair.
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She’s given up chasing mice and can’t see in the dark any more.
But, at the grand old age of almost 24, Blackie is still going strong and is a prime contender for Britain’s oldest cat.
‘I’ve had her since she was just a few weeks old,’ said proud owner Quentin Shaw, 49.

‘I was 25 when I got her and her brother and it feels like 100 years ago.
‘She used to have a black spot on her head and her brother had a brown spot, so we called them Black and Tan. 
'She doesn’t hunt now, she can’t see in the dark and if you try to brush her she usually falls over, but she’s very determined and still going strong.’

Tan was killed when he was hit by a car aged five, but Blackie has battled on thanks to a lot of love and plenty of food. 
She will be 24 in January, making her the equivalent of 118 human years old.She lives with Mr Shaw, his fiancee Kim Lanham and children, Scarlet and Tom, both 11, in Thurnby, Leicestershire.
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